Senior Mental Health Clinician - Emergency Mental Health

The Hospital:

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

The RCH is committed to the Child Safe Standards. 

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is available here.

Senior Mental Health Clinician 

• Excellent employee benefits including salary packaging
• Hub of medical precinct in Parkville, Melbourne
• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Permanent Full Time position

About the Role:

This is a Permanent Full Time position at 80 hours per fortnight within the Emergency Mental Health Team. Part-time hours would be considered. 

You will be responsible for working collaboratively with Emergency Department staff in managing mental health presentations, providing support to families and carers, liaising with emergency services, contributing to research and evaluation activities, and facilitating mental health promotion and education.

Classification will be aligned with the successful candidate's profession and experience. Market-matched remuneration applies, plus superannuation (pro rata for part-time appointments)

• Grade 4 Registered Psychiatric Nurse (NP75-77)
• Occupational Therapist Grade 4 Year 1 – Year 4 (HR9-HR12)
• Social Worker Grade 4 Year 1 – Year 4 (HR25-HR28)
• Speech Pathologist Grade 4 Year 1 – Year 4 (HR13-HR16)
• Psychologist Grade 3 Year 1 – Year 4 (PL1-PL4)

What you’ll achieve:

• Effectively and competently undertake triage and assessment functions.
• Provide high level of clinical expertise with independent decision making.
• Purposefully and expertly engage children, young people and their families in evidence-based and recovery focused clinical care, including mental health promotion and prevention.
• Work within legal and ethical obligations for excellent family focussed care according to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 and the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.
• Demonstrate a commitment to culturally safe and sensitive service provision.

Your skills and experience:

• Tertiary Qualification or equivalent in relevant discipline.
• Minimum 5 years relevant postgraduate clinical mental health experience
• Current registration as an Occupational Therapist or Psychologist with the application Health Practitioner Board, as a qualified Speech Pathologist or Social Worker or have registration with AHPRA for nursing applicants.

If this sounds like you, click here to view the Allied Health position description, or here to view the Nursing position description.

About the Department:

RCH Mental Health is a Tertiary, Level 5 service, supporting infant, Child and Family Area Mental Health and comprises of both community and hospital-based services. The Emergency Mental Health Team is based at the RCH Emergency Department and works alongside colleagues in the Emergency Department, ensuring young people and families receive person-centred, evidence-based and timely mental health assessments.

What we offer:

• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay!
• Employee Assistance Program
• Culture of continuous improvement

Other requirements:

• Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain
• Valid Working with Children Check
• Compliance with RCHs “Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases” procedure

Application process:

To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description.

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly!

For more information about this position please contact Charlie Gann or Sarah Dordevic, Emergency Department Coordinator, Ph:03 93454786, Email: charlie.gann@rch.org.au or sarah.dordevic@rch.org.au

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer staff benefits such as discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.  Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption, and offers of employment are conditional on successful completion of background checks including reference checks. 

Are you ready to join our team?

Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close Wednesday, 4th of November 2026